


One Heck of a Year

by Historygeek12



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, Racing Accident, Teammates in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22004215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Historygeek12/pseuds/Historygeek12
Summary: A summary of the 2019 F1 season for Valtteri and Lewis.
Relationships: Valtteri Bottas/Lewis Hamilton
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	One Heck of a Year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eknomind](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eknomind/gifts).

> Please be aware that this story mentions the tragic accident which occurred at Spa in 2019 and the loss of Anthoine Hubert. If it may be triggering please do not read.

** _Australia _ **

The blood was pulsing through his veins, the adrenaline well and truly kicking in. He’d done it. He’d won the race. Redemption. After an incredibly poor 2018 season, this was the start that Valtteri needed. “Well done Valtteri! You’ve just won the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.” His engineer beamed over the radio.

“To whom it may concern, fuck you.” The Finn replied, slightly shocking himself. He wasn’t one for being outspoken, but he had taken a lot of crap from people over the last few months and the win felt like the perfect way to prove them wrong. He couldn’t help but smile proudly behind his helmet as he pulled into parc ferme.

Despite Valtteri’s elation, the same couldn’t be said for his teammate. On the in-lap, Lewis had been questioning Bono as to what had gone wrong. He’d been on pole. He should have won but here he was in second place. Pulling up beside the 77 car, Lewis bumped the P2 sign, showing his bitterness at the result. Huffing to himself, the World Champion climbed out of the car, glancing up at the screen. Valtteri won with a 20 second gap. The Englishman shook his head, annoyed at his performance in the race. How had this happened? Pushing the thoughts to the back of his head, he wandered over to congratulate his teammate and Max on their respective results.

By the time they reached the cool down room Lewis had calmed significantly, mainly as a result of the smile on his boyfriend’s face. In the heat of the moment it was hard to think of other people, especially your own teammate but the smile on Valtteri’s face had reminded him of the torrid 2018 season he’d endured without any wins, constant criticism and pressure from journalists and at times the team. As much as he wanted to be annoyed at being beaten by his boyfriend, he found that he couldn’t. He knew how hard Valtteri had worked over the winter break to come back stronger and stronger and this win clearly meant the world to him.

“What happened to you today?” Max asked, bumping Lewis’s arm as the two stood in the cool down room.

Zoning out from his thoughts to face the young Dutchman Lewis sighed. “I didn’t have the pace today. God knows where it went.”

“You might want to find it if you want a sixth world title.” Max snorted.

“Yeah… I might just want to do that.” Lewis agreed.

Soon enough they were on the podium listen to the Finnish national anthem beaming out to the thousands of Australians who were gathered to see the celebrations. Lewis glanced up at the man on the top step, the beaming grin on the Finn’s face and the emotion in his eyes drawing Lewis in. His heart soared. His Val deserved this. He deserved to show everyone that his place at Mercedes was on merit and boy had he done that today. Without giving it too much thought, Lewis reached out and placed his hand on Valtteri’s backside, giving him a gentle pat.

The Finn jumped slightly and quickly cocked his head in Lewis’s direction. As their eyes met, a familiar sense of calm fell over him. As much as he wanted to rush into his arms, he knew it wasn’t the time or place but the simple look on Lewis’s face told him all he needed to know. His boyfriend was proud of him.

*

Following the celebratory champagne spray the three drivers were ushered back into the podium room. Their trainers had already set off with their trophies so that they could focus on the press conference. While they waited to be collected, Max excused himself to use the bathroom, leaving the two Mercedes drivers alone. Knowing they didn’t have long; Lewis stepped closer to Valtteri and looped his arms around Valtteri’s waist before drawing him in to a kiss. “I’m so proud of you. You deserved that win.” He whispered, pulling away from his lips.

Valtteri stared back at the man, his blue eyes sparkling. “Thank you, Lew. I needed that win today.”

“You did.” He agreed, squeezing Valtteri’s side. “I’m going to have to find some pace if I want my sixth title.”

Valtteri chuckled, feeling incredibly happy right now. “I’m going to push you as hard as I can.”

“That’s exactly what I want.”

** _Monaco_ **

Valtteri had been in Finland when he heard the news. Niki Lauda had died. As soon as he could, he’d gotten on a plane to Monaco. He had multiple texts from Lewis. The man was distraught, and he wanted to get to his boyfriend as soon as possible. Lewis and Niki had been incredibly close for so many years and he feared to think what his death would do to Lewis.

When he arrived at his boyfriend’s apartment, he let himself in and wandered into the living room, wondering where Lewis was. “Lewis?”

“Val?”

“Yeah it’s me. Where are you?” The Finn called back, glancing around the very minimalist apartment. They spent most of their time at Valtteri’s hence why there was very little of Lewis’s stuff actually here.

The Englishman appeared from his bedroom, his face incredibly pale and his eyes red. “Thank god you’re here.” He sniffed.

Valtteri strode over to Lewis and pulled the man into his arms, allowing Lewis to bury his head into his neck. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here before.” He whispered.

“No, it’s not your fault. You need time to see your family.”

Valtteri nodded and rubbed a hand down Lewis’s back. It was Wednesday and the F1 weekend would get into full swing tomorrow and both drivers knew they’d have to muster enough strength for multiple questions about Niki’s passing and the team dynamic. “Have you eaten today?” Valtteri asked.

Lewis shook his head. “Just feel like shit. I can’t believe he’s gone Val. He’s been there through all the bad times and motivated me when necessary.”

“I know. It’s a huge loss.” He said gently, touching Lewis’s cheek. “Go and take a shower and I’ll make you some breakfast.” He was concerned and knew just getting Lewis out his pyjamas was a start.

Lewis nodded before heading towards the bathroom. Valtteri omitted a sigh as he watched him go before disappearing into the kitchen. He had no idea what to make Lewis because he was sure that Lewis would hardly have any food in.

Thankfully, there were enough ingredients for Valtteri to make some vegan pancakes with some fruit. He was just putting the fruit on top when Lewis appeared. He’d adjusted his hair and changed into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. “I feel a bit better.” He whispered, rubbing his hands together. “You made me pancakes?”

“I did. I know that they are your favourite.” He smiled.

The two sat down to eat, relaxing in each other’s company. The room was silent as Lewis ate but a smile started to grow on his face which was concerning Valtteri. “What are you thinking about?” He asked quietly.

“Oh, just something Niki did once.” He chuckled. “Involving you.”

“Involving me?” Valtteri raised an eyebrow.

Lewis nodded and put his cutlery down. “When Nico retired Niki went crazy, panicking about what driver we’d get to fill his seat.” He explained. “When the negotiations started with Williams, I kept jokingly suggesting to Niki that he should fill in and take the seat but in the end we agreed that if you hadn’t scored a win by the summer break we were kicking you out and putting Niki in the car.” He snorted.

Valtteri chuckled. “I’m glad I managed to win then.” He smiled. “I think that was the great thing about Niki though. He was always up for a laugh.”

“He was.” Lewis said, placing his hand on Valtteri’s knee. “Thank you for my breakfast.” He whispered to him. “I don’t feel as bad as I did before.”

“You’re welcome.” Valtteri whispered. “Grief is horrible and sometimes you just need someone to help care for you.”

The Englishman nodded slowly before speaking. “I was actually wondering if you would do me a favour… only if the team okays it.” Lewis said, watching Valtteri’s expression.

“Sure, what is it?”

“I’m supposed to be in the press conference tomorrow.” Lewis explained. “Will you swap with me and do the conference. I just can’t face it.”

Valtteri took Lewis’s hand in his and squeezed it gently. “Of course, Lew. I will do whatever I can to make this an easy as weekend as possible.” He knew Lewis hated showing any emotions or vulnerability in front of the media.

Lewis smiled and leaned over into Valtteri, before giving him a gentle kiss. “Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky.”

The Finn grinned and stole another kiss. “Because Nico left and Toto picked me as your new teammate.” He teased, leaving Lewis rolling his eyes at his sense of humour.

** _Germany_ **

The weeks had gone by quickly with Ferrari catching up and it was soon the German Grand Prix. The team’s home race and a special one with the event marking 125 years since Mercedes Benz’s debut in motorsport and the teams 200th F1 start. To mark the occasion the team were all kitted out in 1950s outfits and as much as Valtteri was displeased by the new dress code he did his best to grin and bear it.

However, it was not a smooth weekend. Lewis had arrived in Germany with a cold type virus but was able to participate and after taking a 1-2 in qualifying, the weather had other ideas for the race. Multiple cars didn’t finish, including Valtteri who ended up hitting a damp part of the track, sending his car into a spin effectively making him a passenger as his car spun into the wall and out of the race. For Lewis things weren’t much better. The Englishman also hit a damp part of the track and clipped the wall with his front wheels. Despite losing his front wing and minimal damage to his suspension Lewis managed to get to the pits and continue on. He finished the race in 9th following some penalties. Although it was not the race Mercedes wanted, they were grateful to take away some points.

When Lewis arrived at the motorhome after the race it was clear to see that the team weren’t in a good mood. They wanted to discover what had gone so drastically wrong and Lewis did too, but he had something else on his mind. Due to having the flu, Toto had prohibited Lewis from being around Valtteri, citing that one sick driver was enough. But the weekend was now over, and Lewis was looking forward to getting to Valtteri’s drivers’ room and giving the Finn a much-needed hug. When he was sure he wasn’t needed by the team he snuck upstairs and along the corridor, past his own room.

Normally post-race Valtteri would have music blaring but his room was silent. Frowning, Lewis knocked on the door. “Val?”

“What?” Came a mumbled reply.

Lewis gently turned the handle and entered the room, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him. The Finn was still in his race suit, sitting on the sofa, looking incredibly annoyed. “Val, what’s wrong?” Lewis asked cautiously, unsure whether to approach or not.

“I fucked up.” He replied harshly, his accent heavily lilted.

Lewis raised an eyebrow. “Most drivers did. It was an incredibly tough race with horrific conditions. I don’t even know how I kept my car going.”

“No.” Valtteri shook his head, clearly thinking about something else. “I’m not going to have a seat next year.” He said, his voice full of emotion.

Lewis sighed. “I’m not following.” He said, confused as to what the Finn meant.

Valtteri sighed overdramatically. “The team have made it incredibly clear to me that I have to perform between now and summer break to ensure my seat for next season. I binned my chance of a podium today by putting the car in the wall.”

Lewis omitted a sigh and moved to sit next to his boyfriend, placing his hand on his thigh. “Val. It was one race in extremely bad conditions. A four-time world champion also put his car in the wall. It would be unfair of the team to judge you based on your performance today. Anyway, you proved at Silverstone why you deserve this seat.” He said gently.

Valtteri turned to face him, finally meeting his gaze. “I know you have influence within the team, you would vouch for me if you had to right?”

Lewis nodded. “You know I would. But I won’t have too. You’re constantly showing why you deserve this seat.”

The Finn gave a timid nod before sighing. “Sorry…”

Lewis wrapped his arm around him and pulled Valtteri into his side, the Finn’s head slotting perfectly into place on Lewis’s shoulder. “Don’t be. This sport plays with our minds. Just believe in yourself, even in the toughest moments.”

“I will try.” He whispered. “Love you.”

A soft smile settled on Lewis’s lips and he pressed a kiss to the top of Valtteri’s head. “Love you too, Val.”

** _Belgium_ **

Lewis felt sick to his stomach, trying not to let his fear show on his face. “Oh.. um.. I hope that guys okay.” Lewis stuttered, internally kicking himself. Why did he say that? That was one of the most horrific crashes he’d ever seen. He dreaded to think but he knew that the outcome wouldn’t be good. His mind was in overdrive, the images replaying in his mind. Fortunately, his PR assistant Rosa stepped in and guided Lewis away from the media pen. The entire paddock knew it wasn’t good.

Lewis had just witnessed a horrific crash on lap 2 of the F2 feature race. As he was ushered back to the Mercedes motorhome, he could see the concern on fans, drivers, journalists and team personnel’s faces. He quietly said a prayer to himself, hoping that the driver was okay, but he had his doubts. The crash was bad.

He entered the motorhome and could see on the TV screen that there were multiple ambulances at the top of Eau Rouge. He swallowed down a lump in his throat before running towards the stairs. He ran upstairs and along the corridor to Valtteri’s drivers’ room. He needed to see him. Without knocking, Lewis burst into the room, startling Valtteri who was sitting doing some reading. “Val…” He gasped, his voice cracking.

The Finn glanced up and immediately chucked his phone to the side, seeing the state of his boyfriend. “Lewis, what is it?” He asked, getting to his feet and going over to console him.

“There… There was a crash in F2. A huge horrible crash… I.. it doesn’t look good at all.” He stammered, pulling his body in against the Finn’s needing to be close to him right now.

“Shhh.” Valtteri whispered, running a hand down Lewis’s back, trying to keep him calm. “We will know some news soon enough. I promise.” He whispered, placing a soft chaste kiss to his forehead. “Come and sit down.”

Lewis gave him a timid nod, his entire body shaking with fear right now. He knew the drivers in F2 were young. He didn’t even want to think what this could do to a family.

Valtteri got them settled on the sofa and kept his arm firmly around the Englishman. He whispered soft reassuring things, but he knew what it felt like to witness a crash and go out there and carry on. What they did was dangerous, and they lived on the edge. They all knew the risk, but most days they felt invincible till they lost one of their own.

The pair remained on the sofa for a good hour until there was a knock on the door. Before either Mercedes driver could move, Toto appeared in the room, frowning at the sight of his two drivers cuddling. It wasn’t often he saw Lewis practically sat on Valtteri’s lap, but he said nothing, knowing now wasn’t the time. “I have some news.” He said hoarsely.

“What is it?” Lewis glanced up at him, biting his lip.

“As you may be aware there was a horrific accident in the Formula 2 race earlier…” Toto said, taking a pause. “The FIA have just announced that Anthoine Hubert died in the accident and Juan Manuel Correa is in intensive car with multiple injuries.”

Both drivers gasped, the hair on their arms standing up. “Oh god.” Lewis mumbled. “Thank you, Toto.”

Toto nodded. “You know we have people in the team to help you.”

“We do.” Valtteri replied, running a gentle thumb up Lewis’s arm, trying to help keep him calm.

Toto nodded again, also feeling incredibly useless. Quietly, he left the room, leaving the two drivers to absorb the news. As the door closed, Lewis glanced up at Valtteri and quickly pulled the Finn into a deep kiss. “I love you so much.” He whispered, his voice aching with emotion.

“I love you too.” Valtteri whispered, reaching for his hand.

“And no matter how hard tomorrow is.” Lewis whimpered, trying to keep his breathing steady. “We go out there and we do our best for Anthoine. As a racing driver, a racing fan, it is what he would have wanted.”

Valtteri nodded. “It is. We go racing for Anthoine.”

*

The Sunday was an incredibly sombre affair and what hit Valtteri the most was the solidarity shown by the entire motorsport community. On lap 19 of the race the fans rose to their feet and applauded in memory of Anthoine. It was hard to miss the sound and Valtteri was sure it would bring a tear to every drivers’ eye.

The race was one to forget for Mercedes but even Toto agreed the right driver won. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the win. A good friend of Anthoine’s, he dedicated the win to him, and no one could dispute that he was the right winner.

Following the race, Valtteri and Lewis took a flight back to Monaco together, cuddling the entire time. It had been an incredibly tough day, and both realised how grateful they were to have each other. The weekend was a stark reminder of the dark side of motorsport.

** _Japan _ **

“No one has ever won from the second row of the grid here in Suzuka, until today!” David Croft of Sky Sports called. “Valtteri Bottas takes the checkered flag and wins the Japanese Grand Prix.”

The adrenaline was flowing, the excitement showing on his face. He’d made no secret of Suzuka being his favourite track and winning here today felt amazing. As he climbed from his car in parc ferme, he felt a familiar hand on his back. He spun round to come face to face with Lewis. “Well done Val, that was a phenomenal start.” Lewis said, patting his arm.

“It was.” He agreed. “I heard you almost got hit by debris. Are you okay?”

Lewis nodded. “I’m fine, don’t worry.” He said, giving his arm a squeeze. “Our results today also helped us secure the constructors.”

“It’s a good feeling.” He smiled.

*

Following the media pen, the two drivers met each other in the motorhome. “Ready to go and do the celebratory photos?” Lewis asked the Finn.

Valtteri nodded. “Yeah, but only when you tell me what’s bothering you.”

Lewis frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not my happy Lewis. I know when something is wrong and upsetting you, so tell me what it is.” Valtteri said, placing a gentle hand on his back as they walked down the steps slowly.

He sighed and saw no point trying to hide his feeling from Valtteri. “It’s weird. I have so many memories of celebrating the championships over the years with Niki and like, now he’s not here. It’s weird and I just know it’s going to feel weird.” He explained as they crossed the paddock and into the back of the garage.

“I know it’s hard that he isn’t here… but you have to remember.” Valtteri stopped Lewis in front of the headsets and placed his hand on Lewis’s chest, above his heart. “He is always with you. Every win, every loss, every race. He is with you, watching you, rooting for you.” He said softly. “So just because he isn’t here physically anymore, his spirit and the memories are forever with you.”

Lewis listened to Valtteri’s words, his eyes almost burning with tears. “You… you always know what to say.”

“I wouldn’t say that, but I know he is with you.”

Without saying another word, Lewis pulled his other half into a tight hug and buried his head into his chest. The Finn reciprocated the feeling and hugged him tightly, giving him the support, he needed. The two stood there in their embrace until they heard a voice. “I’m still not used to this!”

Both drivers looked up and saw Toto walking towards them. “I still expect to walk round corners and find you and Nico yelling at each other.”

Lewis tried to laugh, but those days felt so long ago now. “Valtteri and I are on good terms. You don’t need to worry. We were just talking about Niki actually.”

“That’s funny, I was just coming to get his hat for the photo.” Toto explained.

“That’s a sweet gesture.” Valtteri noted, hoping Toto wasn’t suspicious and his relationship with Lewis.

“It is.” Toto agreed. He leaned up and grabbed Niki’s iconic red cap. “Ready then?”

“Ready.” They both replied.

As Toto headed back towards the garage, Valtteri stretched up on to his toes and pressed a soft kiss to Lewis’s cheek. Lewis beamed and was about to say something when they heard Toto. “I saw that.”

Valtteri shot Lewis a panicked glance and the two rushed off to catch up with the team principal and the celebrations.

** _Mexico_ **

Lewis was pushing hard, doing his best to try and beat Verstappen’s time. It was his final flying lap in Q3, and he was focused on the final few corners when he saw the other Mercedes in front of him clip the wall and slam into the wall further down, coming to a complete stop. Trying not to panic, the championship leader passed the crash scene, lifting off. He could make out Valtteri’s head moving but was past the scene quickly and found himself crossing the line.

“Valtteri, are you okay?” His engineer asked. It was a huge impact due to the sudden stoppage of the car and with the high altitude it could influence the health of the driver.

“I’m okay, sorry.” The Finn mumbled, taking some incredibly deep breaths to try and get air into his lungs. He was completely winded and knew moving too quickly was not the smartest move.

Back in the pits, Lewis had just returned to the Mercedes garage, having qualified 4th. He shoved his helmet on the desk and turned to watch the live feed. Valtteri was climbing cautiously from the car and limping to the medical car. Lewis’s heart was pounding, and anger seeped into his veins when he realised Verstappen hadn’t slowed down for the waved yellow flag.

Toto placed his hand on Lewis’s back, seeing the agitation in the Englishman’s eyes. “He will be okay, I promise.”

*

While Valtteri was checked over at the medical centre, Lewis was doing his media rounds, but his thoughts were never far from his Finn. As soon as he was able to, he made his way back to the motorhome and upstairs to Valtteri’s room. He knocked lightly on the door before letting himself inside. “Val.”

The Finn glanced up from where he was sitting. He’d changed out of his race suit and was dressed in a pair of black joggers with his Mercedes shirt. “I’m okay Lewis, don’t worry.”

Lewis didn’t really take his word for it and quickly sat down beside his boyfriend and pulled him into a tight hug, as if to check every part of him was still there. Valtteri whimpered and tried to wriggle free of Lewis’s grasp. “I have a few bruised ribs.” He murmured. “No tight hugs please.”

“Sorry!” He exclaimed, feeling back for hurting him. “Besides that, you’re okay?”

Valtteri nodded. “I was very winded but I’m okay.” He promised. “I’ve just to take it easy tonight and rest and make sure my ribs are strapped up for tomorrow’s race.”

“Well if you need anything, I’m here for you.” Lewis said, pressing a kiss to the back of Valtteri’s hand.

“Thank you, Lewis.”

*

The race had gone well for Mercedes with Lewis taking the win and Valtteri finishing a solid third. Given the crash in qualifying he was satisfied with third place. However, following the race, Lewis and Valtteri had snuck into Lewis’s room to unwind and to allow for Valtteri to rest because he was still in quite a bit of pain.

“Are you sure?” The Finn asked.

“Yes, just trust me.” He promised.

Valtteri sighed and laid his head in Lewis’s lap. It wasn’t long before he felt Lewis’s hand cascading through his hair, soothing him. And before long, he was dozing lightly in Lewis’s lap, allowing his body to recover.

It was a good while later when there was a knock on the door and Toto cocked his head in, frowning. “I know I normally don’t get involved but for the love of god please tell me you’re a couple. If you’re not, you should be.”

Lewis snorted. “Yes Toto, we are. Well done on the detective work.”

The Austrian rolled his eyes. “If I’m honest, which I mostly am. I had no idea it was Susie who worked it out.”

“Susie always was bright compared to you.” He teased, earning himself a pointed look from his boss.

** _United States_ **

Prior to the race, Mercedes wasn’t exactly a friendly place to be. It was incredibly likely Lewis was going to wrap up the championship today and as if to add insult to injury for Valtteri, Lewis had invited friends and family to the track.

Valtteri was standing with his trainer and Dad in the garage getting ready to head out when Lewis entered the garage, laughing and joking with his Dad. “Go get your sixth World Title son. It’s yours for the taking!”

Lewis smiled. “There is no chance I’m not bringing it home today.” He said, before glancing over at Valtteri.

The Finn kept his face in a glare before turning back to his own family. Trying not to show the extent in which Lewis’s words had hurt him. If Lewis thought it was going to be that easy to win the title today, Valtteri was going to do everything in his power to stop him. Even if he was his boyfriend.

“Okay?” Valtteri’s Dad asked gently.

The Finn nodded, determination in his eyes. “I’m going to win today.”

*

Starting on pole, Valtteri got off the line well, leading the field round as cars squabbled for position behind. It was an intense race, but Lewis made his way up to P2, enough to win the championship. Valtteri pitted first, meaning Lewis now led this race. “Lewis will box this lap.” Valtteri’s engineer told him.

Valtteri scoffed to himself. He really doubted that his teammate would. “Okay.”

And as the two cars passed the pit entrance, neither Mercedes pitted. “Okay, full attack.” His engineer said, allowing Valtteri to race against Lewis.

His words from earlier haunted him. Clearly Lewis thought this was going to be an easy win, but Valtteri had other ideas. He was not a push over and he certainly wasn’t a wingman. He closed the gap to Lewis and soon found himself in the slipstream. As they entered one of the straights, Valtteri pulled out and passed him, not even looking back. Valtteri had great pace and started to pull off into the distance. He was going to do everything he could to protect the win. “Nice job.”

A small smile appeared on the Finn’s face. “Copy.”

Valtteri won the race and Lewis took the title. Although Valtteri was disappointed, he’d had a great race and he didn’t want to let anything overshadow his moment. Lewis could celebrate his win with his family and friends.

*

Following the race both drivers were in media demand. They didn’t see each other till they arrived back at the garage. Valtteri was standing with Antti, smiling and joking with his trophy, when Lewis came over and tapped him on the back. “Congrats man. You put up a hard fight.”

Valtteri nodded and shook his hand. “Congrats on the title. You’ve driven well all year.”

Lewis smiled. “Thank you, and I’m sorry about the words I used earlier… I just… was in the moment with my Dad.”

Valtteri shrugged. “On track we race hard and leave our relationship behind.” He said. “And if it wasn’t for you making me angry, I might not have won this race, so thank you.”

A fond smile fell on Lewis’s face and he patted Valtteri’s arm. “We’ll have our own private celebration later though.”

“Oh yes.” The Finn grinned. “You better not be late.”

*

When Valtteri arrived back at his hotel room that evening, he found Lewis sitting on his bed with a glass of champagne in his hand. “See I’m not late.” He chuckled.

Valtteri could only grin. “That’s because I’m the best lover you’ve ever had. You don’t want to miss any time with me.”

Lewis snorted. “Someone is confident.”

The Finn took his glass of champagne and flopped on to the bed beside Lewis, smiling. “I can’t wait to get you undressed.”

“Hurry up and drink then.”

** _Abu Dhabi_ **

It had been an incredibly tiring weekend for Valtteri. The Finn had been consumed by the flu and had struggled with media day on Thursday and on top of that was scheduled to take a grid penalty, meaning he started the final Grand Prix of the season from the back of the grid. The race had been fairly uneventful. Lewis led from pole to finish to round off his amazing season and Valtteri came from the back to finish 4th, missing out on the podium due to a DRS failure. Despite feeling better, the Finn had left the track pretty quickly on the Sunday, just wanting to escape and rest.

So, when Lewis arrived back at the hotel just after 1am he was surprised to find Valtteri in his room. Normally on race weekends they kept their distances to avoid raising suspicion. “Val?” Lewis yawned as he came in. He could see his boyfriend relaxing on the balcony with a bottle of beer.

“Hey Lew.” He called back. “I left a bottle in the fridge for you.”

Lewis swiftly grabbed the bottle from the mini bar before heading through the room to join Valtteri on the balcony. The Finn had his pyjama bottoms on and a t-shirt and was relaxing on the sun lounger, despite it being completely dark outside. “You left early.” Lewis noted as he sat down on the opposite lounger.

“I wasn’t feeling the best.” He admitted. “I just wanted some time on my own, to rest and reflect on the year.”

Lewis watched him gently. He knew how hard Valtteri had worked to bring his A game this season and he was proud of him for doing so. “It has been one heck of year, hasn’t it?” He said, taking a swig from the bottle.

Valtteri nodded. “Indeed. Filled with many highs and lows and tragic loss.” He said with a sigh. “But we made history… or rather you but yeah, one long, crazy year.”

Lewis leaned over and took Valtteri’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Regardless of what happened, we made it and we have each other.”

Valtteri turned to face him, giving him a soft smile. “We do.”

“So here is to doing it all over again in 2020.” Lewis replied.

“To 2020.” Valtteri echoed, before moving in to kiss his boyfriend. He would never ever get tired of calling Lewis his other half and no matter what happened on track, Valtteri had the best thing to come home to at night. His Lewis.


End file.
